Pewabic Pottery

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Pottery has been used for millenia around the word. Many cultures have used and perfected the art of molding and firing clay to create beautiful and functional works of art. From the earliest civilizations to the present, pottery has been an intricate part of daily life. The history of pottery is fascinating and traces far into the history of man. The history of Pewabic Pottery may not stretch as far back, but it is still just as fascinating. The fact that many well-known Detroit landmarks have Pewabic Pottery tiles embedded into the buildings is amazing. Also knowing that when visiting, the Detroit Zoo, The Detroit Institute of Art, and Comerica Park, to name only a few, there is an over abundance of Pewabic Pottery is astounding. Pewabic Pottery remains one of Michigan's great treasures.

The making of pottery has been around far longer than we can trace.There is, however, evidence of pottery being made as early as 6000 B.C.E. in the Anatolia, Syria, and Asia Minor areas. Most of early pottery was small statues that could be easily carried or left behind as most people were nomadic. After the organization of settlements came into being is when pots, bowls, and other forms of pottery were created for storing food and water, eating, and practicing religions. As developed societies came different forms and processes of shaping clay. There are several basic ways of making pots, including pinching and coiling, but with the creation of the wheel in around 3-4000 B.C.E., it made specialization of pottery possible and made pottery more desirable.

Many communities around the world have used fire to harden clay since early man, however, the origins of firing is unknown. In firing a kiln is used to make the clay hard and brittle. A kiln ...

... middle of paper ...

...of Pewabic Pottery. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Ars Ceramica, 1977. Print.

"kiln." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2010. Merriam-Webster Online. 23 June 2010

"Pewabic Pottery - History." Pewabic Pottery - Museum and Education Center. Web. 07 June 2010.

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"Pewabic Pottery." U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America. Web. 07 June 2010.

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Woody, Elsbeth S. Handbuilding Ceramic Forms. New York: Allworth, 2008. Print.

Woody, Elsbeth S. Pottery on the Wheel. New York, NY: Allworth, 2008. Print.

"vessel." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2010. Merriam-Webster Online. 23 June 2010

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